Waxon in new hands as Capitol Hill’s mother of the Brazilian ready to help the gentle but firm battle against body hair across the nation

The mother of the Brazilian in Seattle is handing off her baby and ready to embark from Capitol Hill’s 15th Ave E on a new adventure spreading the love, respect, and firm but gentle grip required to create great waxing spas in cities across the nation.

Anne Uhlir, who was famously inspired by actress Demi Moore — and the Karate Kid — to open Waxon in Seattle in 1999, tells CHS she has sold the Seattle locations of her waxing spa including the longtime Capitol Hill home to Waxon on 15th Ave E.

“I’m excited to get out of the PNW, spread my seed in other states,” Uhlir tells CHS.

Uhlir’s tongue is often in her cheek when talking about Waxon and decades of victories over pubic, back, and you name it hair. In this she is for real. Uhlir says her deal puts Waxon’s two Seattle salons on Capitol Hill and in Belltown and the rights to its brand “in the Pacific Northwest and California regions” in the hands of an ambitious new beauty and health entrepreneur.

Meanwhile, Uhlir will retain the rights to help new Waxons open across the rest of the country. It’s not franchising, Uhlir says. She wants to help build new mothers of the Brazilian from coast to coast.

“I like the challenge. And I’m fast.” Uhlir says of her own skills pulling and sculpting the hair of the human body. “I think I’ve taught all of Seattle how to wax.”

The new ownership of Seattle’s Waxon spas is Morgan Robart. Robart runs the growing family of Skin and Sage “esthetics” spas and has come to Seattle to grow the chain and her Eldest Sister management consulting firm for the beauty industry.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking over ownership of WAXON. It’s such a fantastic neighborhood staple,” Robart writes. “My main priority right now is ensuring a seamless transition for the incredible staff and loyal clients. I look forward to being a part of the Capitol Hill business community, and creating more jobs and growth in the months ahead.”

Uhlir says the deal is complete and the Seattle spas are already operating under the new owner.

“The new owner, she’s probably going to change everything and make it even better,” Uhlir said. “I think that’s good. You just can’t hold onto the past.”

The recent theft of the 15th Ave E spa’s mascot taxidermy beavers isn’t probably a major priority for the new owner. Uhlir says they still haven’t turned up.

“Capitol Hill is just a different animal now,” Uhlir said.

Uhlir will be holding onto quite a few memories, however. She says she and Waxon grew up together on Capitol Hill from back in the days when there was still a City People’s on 15th and the Pride parade filled Broadway with shitty pick-up trucks dressed up with balloons and crepe paper. Uhlir recalls running an extension cord and heating up the wax to demonstrate her skills right on the street during Pride. She was the model. That’s the kind of thing you have to do to become the mom of the Brazilian in Seattle.

Along the way, Uhlir says she became expert at the techniques and the people parts of the business. She also made great strides in the tools and the quality of the experience. She plans to continue selling her own Shea What waxing products developed at Waxon over the years.

Those decades also came with lessons in business. When Uhlir says she learned a company in Canada was also using the Waxon name, she decided it was best to strike a deal — not a lawsuit. Today, there are 23 locations across Canada.

There were also the hard lessons of the pandemic as Uhlir had to dial Waxon’s business footprint back.

Covid was rough. We closed some locations as I kind of shaved back,” Uhlir said.

Those lessons and the years of keeping new clientele and regulars happy and smooth have added up to a new start. Waxon is continuing in Seattle as part of a new, growing business family. Uhlir will remain rooted in Seattle but is ready for adventures in waxing. She is on a mission to help strengthen the independents in the face of the big chains.

“In 2013, when big companies came, they kind of ruined it.” Uhlir says. “Saturated the market with big corporate money.”

“They made the experience like McDonald’s hamburgers.”

A Waxon spa and the waxing experience should be about so much more.

Waxon is located at 555 15th Ave E. Learn more at waxonpnw.com.

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